News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-09-22
William Stown.

WiHiamstown.
One of the loveliest of New Eng
land villages is tucked away in one of
the fartherest corners of Massachu-
sets, but as some choice treasure in
the corner of a bureau drawer will re-
pay one for long search, so Will
Jamestown repays one for long Jour-
ney. IL is situated in the midst of
the Berkshire Hills, but they are suf-
ficiently remote to spare one the shut
in feeling that some times depresses a
visitor in a mountain village. The
streets are exceedingly pretty. AS 1
walked to church the morning after
my arrival in the place, asked, ''Is
this your park?' sob, no." said my
friend, cit is our main street." The
beauty of the street has suggested to
many my question. For a long dis
lance on one side are three rows of
fine trees, chiefly elms and naples
on the other side are two rows. Be-
tween the trees are lawns. There is a
hill on one side and the houses are
without fences. Many of the college
buildings are ornamental, and the
churches, if not beautiful, are sub
stantial. Not far from Main street is
Mission Park. A monument there
marks the spot where the American
Board for Foreign Missions may BE
said to have had its birth. This mon
ument is unique. On the top of a
small marble pillar is a white marble
globe. On one side of the pillar is a
bass-relief of a hay-stack. Early in
this century few Williams College
students became interested il the
spread of the gospel in foreign lands.
They decided to meet to pray for that
object. Where should they meet?
In their rooms they were liable to
many Interruptions. They chose the
quiet of an open field near hay-stack.
The monument now marks the spot.
1t is the present custom to hold some
of the commencement meetings near
that monument. Not far from the
spot was the home of DR.. Mark Hop
kins, who for SO years was the hon
ored President of the college, and af
forwards one of its beloved profess
ors. He was laughingly, but fondly,
called by the students. MARK the per-
feet man."
/ visited Williamstown a few
months before DR.. Hopkins death.
He was at that time So years old, but
apparently vigorous. | was told that
he had attended to his duties during
the winter with great regularity. Du-
ring his Presidency the college
grounds were enlarged, many of the
buildings erected, the corps of profess
sors enlarged and the main endow
ment secured. Under DR.. Hopkins
was also erected the first astronomi-
cal and magnetic observatories on this
continent. Under him and Prof. EN-
mons originated the first ofthe college
scientific expeditions. With the old,
the young are often called. Soon af-
ter DR.. Hopkins death, Miss Mamie
Spring, Prof. Springs only daughter,
passed away. She was young lady
of unusual promise, who had just fin
{ ished her Seventeenth year. Life
looked fair before her, when she was
called to leave it. She was the niece
of Miss Phelps, "Roy," whom "Gates
Ajar" has given a worldwide fame.
All of Prof. and Mrs. Springs many
friends regret that their first year at
Williamstown has been so saddened.
One naturally asks at Williams
town, "When was the college found
ed and how did it get its name" 1t
was founded in 1898. Col. Ephraim
, Williams, soldier of the French and
Indian war, on his way to battle,
made his will, and having no family,
left nearly all his property for the
founding of free grammar school, to
be supported in that place forever.
5 He fell near Lake George in 1855.
The fund he left increased under the
! care of the executors and the State
, granted an endowment. In 1898 the
, school, as have said, was chartered
as college.
One evening 1 attended Vesper SER
vices at the college chapel. One OF
the notable features of the chapel is
the stained glass memorial window
for Tenney, whose geology some of
my readers may have studied. l was
pleased to notice the orderly behavior
' Of the students. One of the profess
: ors told me it was popular in the col
lege to behave well. How delightful
$ it would be if good behavior could be.
: come popular everywhere. The stu.
s dents are by no means Indifferent tC
f sports. A short time before 1 ar.
8 rived the college had gained a great
e victory at base ball. The students
8 had returned at night and had made
q the town alive with their rejoicing
e They insisted that each professor
r should make a congratulatory speech.
b, DR.. Hopkins sympathy was doubtless
: sincere, but his ignorance of the tech.
d nicalities of the game, as shown by
v his speech, was amusing. Another
!, professor, whose tastes led him tc
V find it hard to be eloquent on that
e subject, remarked afterward that Zone
It soon exhausted the possibilities OF
n base ball in speech-making."
y Williamstown is becoming more anc
e more popular each year as a summer
}, resort. Prices for rent during thu
o hot weather are fabulous. Rent fol-
s a house during July and August is, il
It some instances, as much as the rem
: for the rest of the year. ERR.